Dog with Foul-Smelling Breath

EmptyPockets

There's dog-breath, and then there's OUR dog's breath!

She has NO dental problems (she's not even a year-old) her teeth are healthy and clean (vet checked), and she has no health problems, I'm not asking for medical advice, just experience.

Has anybody here ever had to use things to freshen a dog's breath, and did it work?

Bonnie's bad-breath started about two weeks ago. We have been using Johnson's Sweet Breath tablets for the past three days but to be honest they don't seem to be making any difference.

Is there anything else worth giving a go? It is so foul-smelling that we're willing to try anything... when she pants it fills a room and turns my stomach :eek:

sarabe

Diet can play a part. What is she fed on?

EmptyPockets

She's fed on Burns dry food - chicken & brown rice. The puppy one, although we've recently been slowly introducing the 6month+ one... the vet did not think this would be the problem...

sarabe

Burns is a good food and shouldn't be a problem.

Could be something else that she is eating maybe.

Otherwise it's teeth or gums or something intestinal.

Raggs_2

I'd advise doing some research on what's potentially not good for dogs, but our dog (who has never had even dog breath admittedly) regularly munches on fresh herbs, giving his breath the obvious smell for a while later.

His favourite (he insists on eating on few leaves each time we pass a bush) is lemongrass, though that doesn't have a strong smell on the breath, sage and rosemary (sage especially) also have a good effect, mint can work well, but we don't have as many of those around, so don't get to experience it as much.

Has she lost her puppy teeth already? Could it be one of them hanging on, effectively dead, just waiting to fall out? You say it's only started recently.

As Sarabe said, if it's definitely not her mouth, her stomach/intestines could be the issue. Does she go out of sight? Play in the garden? Could she be eating faeces (either her own or something elses)?

EmptyPockets

Raggs wrote: »

As Sarabe said, if it's definitely not her mouth, her stomach/intestines could be the issue. Does she go out of sight? Play in the garden? Could she be eating faeces (either her own or something elses)?

Neither I or the vet could see anything wrong in her mouth, certainly no puppy teeth, impacted teeth, no gum irritation or swelling, no food stuck in there...

She is very rarely out of sight, but I suppose the eating of faeces wouldn't be impossible. She's never done it that we know of, but yes, there are times when she is out there for a few minutes unsupervised.

She is due for worming treatment right about now, I've read that worms can cause the symptom of bad breath. Maybe it's that, I dunno...

She was also having quite a bit of peanut butter, used for filling or blocking the ends of her Kong. I thought that might have been the cause so have completely stopped giving her that for the time-being.

Thanks for the fresh herbs tip, that's very interesting!

Edit to add: Come to think of it, regarding the peanut butter, maybe there could be a tiny piece of nut stuck somewhere between teeth that we can't see. That might be causing the foul odour...

catlou

I would try worming her first if she's due, my dog's breath was vile when he had worms! Might take a few days to work before you know? Then try other things?

puppypants

Could you try adding dried herbs to her food? Just a thought as I did use a food for my dog which was all natural, based on brown rice and that had several different herbs in it. I remember now, it was Robbie's. I think you will find them online.:)

puppypants

Just found the site it is https://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk

olias

How are your dogs anal glands? When mine (my dogs that is!) need emptying, he 'nibbles' at his backside which makes his breath stink of what my wife attractively calls 'anal juice':o. His breath isn't nearly as bad when they have been emptied and he no longer 'nibbles'.

Olias

EmptyPockets

olias wrote: »

How are your dogs anal glands? When mine (my dogs that is!) need emptying, he 'nibbles' at his backside which makes his breath stink of what my wife attractively calls 'anal juice':o. His breath isn't nearly as bad when they have been emptied and he no longer 'nibbles'.

Olias

Yes... I have been pondering this issue this morning, since I noticed her 'scooting' her bottom on the floor outside just a few hours ago, plus she does seem to be licking that area quite a bit - I have lovingly allocated The Anal Sac Inspection Task to Dear Hubby when he gets home later